Loom for hand weaving



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Dec. 14, 1954 R. PURRINGTON 2,696,838

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United States Patent LOOM FOR' 'HA ND'WEAVING w'Rollo Purrington,Williamsburg, Mass.

Application'DeceniberkS, 1953, -Sei'ial.N0.-'396,915

9 Claims. (Cl.' 139--29) "This invention relates. to improvements inlooms adapted 'foruse'by hand weavers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved loomconstructionthat'enables the parts to be folded into compact relation,when the loom is "notin use, whereby the loom may be easily carriedfromplace toplace and stored'in'a relatively small space.

f'Moreparticularly, the invention-has for an objectthe provision in afoldable loom, of a frame and'front and rearlpairs of legs "forsupporting the fra'me in'a. substantially'h'orizontalposition, suchpairs of legs being. pivoted together in "-X-formation and the frontlegs being pivoted at'their upper ends to one end of the-frame and therear legs being detachably connected at their upper endsv to the otherend'of the frame, anda castle, which is pivoted intermediate its 'endstothe frame at a location betweenthe ends of thelatterandwhichisp-ivotally connectednear -itslower end to'the rearpair of legs,whereby when the reanpair'of legs are detached from the frame and drawntoward the'frontpair-of legs, the castle will be swung with themtogetherwith the frame and the legs, frame and castle moved into a compactrelation'closely approaching parallelism.

Another object-of the invention is to provide a heater, havingsupporting arms that are fulcrumed on thefront legs'in a manner toenablefacile disengagement and engagement and to provide means for connectingthe beater to'the castle, when the loom is to be folded, whereby themovement of the castle'causes the supporting arms to disengage fromtheir fulcrums and lie flatly against the front faceof the castle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism foractuating the heddle frames inthe castle.

fAfurther'object is to provide in a loom ofthe type describedagplurality of foot treadles, which are pivoted to a cross bar-thatinterconnects the frontpair of legs and extend rearwardly and have theirrear ends connected by flexible members to the heddle-raising means inthe castle, whereby when the loom is folded, the swinging of thecastle'will through the flexible members draw the foot treadles upwardlyand within the confines of the folded legs, frameand castle.

'These and othenobjects will more particularly appear from the followingdetailed description of one illustrative embodiment of the invention inthe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a'side'elevational view'ofa l'oomembo'dying the invention, the parts being 'shown' unfolded and inactive or workingposition with one of the treadles depressed'to raise apair of heddle frames and separate certain-warp threads from others toform the shed;

Fig-2. is a side elevational view showing the loom parts :inpartiallyfolded position;

LFig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the loom parts incompletelyfolded position;

.Fig. 4 is a plan view of the loom with the parts shown in unfoldedpositions;

Fig.. 5 is-a-n end elevational view looking from the left of: Fig. .1;

:"Fig. 6. is a cross sectional viewtaken on'the line 66 .of'Fig. :1 andshowing the lifting means for the heddle frames;

Fig. 7 isra.sectional' plan-view.taken on the line '7--7 ofFig. 5;

'Fig. 8 'is asectiona1 plan view takenon: the line 8-8 of 'Fig -S;

2,696,838 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 "ice Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectionalview -'taken "on "the line 9-*9' of Fig. *5;

:Fig. 10 is ""a fragmentary sectional view taken entire line 10-10 ofFig. 4; v I

'Fig. 11 -is a sectional view taken onthe line 11 11 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary-sect-ionalviewshowingithe detachable connectionbetween the side bars of theframe 'andthe rear legs of its supportingmeans; and

Fig. l3is a fragmentary rear'elevational .viewillustrativeofthemounting' of one of the rolls. v

Referring to these drawings andfirst'toFigs. land 4 thereof, the loomincludes a frame consisting of two laterally-spacedparallel sidebars "1,each having at'eajch end an upturned portion 2,'and cross'bars 3 and"4,'which respectivelyinterconnect the front and rear :end porti'onsZ ofthe side bars and are rigidly fixed thereto, as'indicated. :Thisfram'eissupported by twopairs'of legs,each pair comprising a tfront leg 5 and "a=rear 'leg 6, which are pivotally connected together in X-formation by abolt 7. The front legs "5 arepivotally-connected at their upper ends oneto each-side bar 1 near the frontend thereof. This pivotal connection ismade by a' bolt8 to alug59, which is fixed-to and depends from a sidebar. The rear legs 6 are also connected atthei r upper ends one toeachside bar near the rear endthereof. Such connectionconsists of a sleeve10(see alsoFig. 12) clamped to'a'side bar 'lby a bolt 11 andprojectingoutwardly therefrom into 'a slot 1'2 (Fig. l) in the upper endof a rearle'g :6. The two front legsS are rigidly interconnectedneartheir lower ends by a cross bar 13 and the two rear legs aresimilarly'interconnected by across bar 14.

The described'fra'me'carries rolls 15 and 16 rotatably supportedbytrunnions "17 and 18, respectively, inbearings 'in the sidebars 1, one:roll as 15, being located beneaththe crossbar 3 and theother roll, as16,"being located 'beneaththe crossbar 4. One trunnion 18 of roll '16has fixed thereto a ratchet "19'and a'pawl "20 (Fig. l()) pivotedto theadjacentside bar 1 is pressedbyaspring '21 into'engagement with'thisratchet. This same-trunnion has a squared outer end (Figs. 1 and 4)to receive a hand crank 22 whereby the roll 16 canbe rotated'to windthereon the waipithreads. The engagement of'g'pawl 20 withratchet 19enables such winding but; prevents reverse'rotation until released bydepression ofthe'handle 23 of thepawl. The other trunnion '18of roll 16(see Fig. 13) is mounted ina slot .24 in one end bar and'held therein bya .clip 25, which is easily removable'to enable removal of roll 16 whendesired.

The roll 15 (Fig. 4) has a ratchet 26 fixed'thereto. "Mounted onatrunnion 17 (Figs. 4 and 5) at .a:location between the ratchet-26andrthe lug 9 on the adjacent .side framel isa lever 27 having a pawl 28to engage the ratchet. As best shown in Fig. 11, this lever enablestheroll ISUto be turnedwhen'requiredto Wind up the cloth thereon.Holding-pawls 29 of different length areboth pivoted to the lug 9'onthe-last-named' side frame 1, engage the ratchet '26 at different pointsthereon and one or the other of them holds the roll 15 from turning inthe direction such as-to unwind the cloth.

Located betweenthe rolls 15 and 16 and spanning-the 'space between theside bars 1 is the castle, which comprises two upright side plates30,'the upper ends of which are rigidly interconnected by a pair ofcross bars 311and the lowerends of which are rigidly interconnected by a.pair of cross bars .32. The side plates 30 arepivotally connected atpoints intermediate their upper and lower ends onetoeach side bar 1(Fig. l) and this connection is conveniently made by a bolt 33 (see alsoFig. 6). The lower end of each side plate 30 is also pivotally connectedto the adjacent back leg '6 (Fig. =1) and this connection isconveniently made by a bolt 34 which as shown in Fig. 6 passes throughthe side bar 1 and side plate 30 and through an intervening spacersleeve 35. The described castle supports a plurality (four as shown-inFig. 4) of heddle frames 36 for vertical sliding movement. The'innerfaceof eachside plate 30 (Fig. 4) is provided with vertical grooves, one foreachframe 36, to slidably receive and guidethe latter. .Each'heddleframe (Fig.6)

*is :of hollownrectangulartform andrhas fixed therein upper 3 and lowerhorizontally-disposed cross bars 37 from which the heddles 38 areslidably supported.

The beater (Fig. includes two side arms 39 which are pivotally connectednear their lower ends one to each front leg 5 at a location near butabove the pivot 7. Each such pivotal connection consists of a sleeve 40clamped to the leg 5 by a bolt 41 and received in an open-ended slot 42(Fig. 1) formed in the lower end of a side arm 39. Each of the latterhas a finger 43 extending beyond the open lower end of each slot 42 onthe front side of the arm 39. These arms 39 (Fig. 5) are also rigidlyinterconnected by upper and lower cross bars 44 and 45, respectively.Each such cross bar is secured to a side arm 39 by means of a bolt 46which passes through a slot 47 in the side arm. Thus, these cross barsmay be fixed to their supporting side arms 39 in various positions oflongitudinal adjustment. The confronting faces of the upper and lowercross bars 44 and 45 are grooved to receive and clamp to the arms 39 ahollow rectangular frame 48 carrying a plurality of closely-spacedvertical wires 49 which form the reed.

Referring to Fig. 1, the warp threads, such as 50, that are wound onroll 16, pass upwardly over cross bar 4 and thence forwardly with adownward inclination to the heddles and are threaded through the eyes ofthe latter, some threads passing through the eyes of selected heddles inone frame and other threads passing through the eyes of selected heddlesin other frames. The threads then pass between the wires of the reed ofthe beater and then continue forwardly with an upward inclination to thecross bar 3, over which they pass and then travel downwardly to roll 15.By raising some heddle frames while others remain lowered, some of thewarp threads, as shown at 50', are raised above others, forming the shedand enabling a shuttle to be manually passed through the space betweenthe raised threads 51) and the lowered threads 50. The heater ismanually moved forwardly toward roll 15 to press the weft threads 51(Fig. 4) in place. The woven cloth 52 is wound up on roll 15.

For actuating the heddle frames 36, a series of foot treadles 53 (six asshown in Fig. 5) are provided. These treadles are each pivotallysupported at one end from the cross bar 14 that interconnects the backlegs 6. This cross bar 14 has a series of longitudinally-spaced notches,each adapted to receive an end of a treadle 53 and a longitudinal groovein its upper face to receive a rod 54 which serves as a pivot for allthe treadles. Rod 54 (Fig. 9) may be clamped in its groove by the headsof a plurality of wood screws 55 threaded into the cross bar 14. Theother end of each treadle 53 has a series of four holes 56 therein, onefor each heddle frame and each adapted to receive a screw eye 57.Located in the lower part of the castle (Fig. 8) are a series of fourcross bars 58. Each cross bar 58 (Fig. 6) overlies all the treadles 53.Each cross bar 58 overlies a different hole 56 in a treadle. Each crossbar 58 (Fig. 8) has a series of six holes 59 spaced so that eachoverlies a different treadle 53. These holes 59 selectively receivescrew eyes 60. As shown in Fig. 8, each cross bar has three screw eyes60 and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, each treadle has two screw eyes 57.Connections between the screw eyes 57 and 60 are made by ropes 61,suitably fixed thereto as indicated. Each foot treadle 53 (Fig. 6) isconnected to two cross bars 58. These cross bars 58 each lift a heddleframe 36. Various pairs (f the heddle frames 36 may be raised. There aresix different combinations, one effected by each of the six treadles.Each cross bar 58 is slotted at opposite ends to receive, one in each,the lower ends of short thin metal links 62, which are pivotallyconnected to the cross bar by pins 63. The upper ends of each pair ofthese links are received one in each of the slotted outer ends of twooverlying levers 64 and pivotally connected thereto by pins 65. Eachpair of these levers 64 is pivoted intermediate its ends on rods 66. Theother ends of each pair of levers 64 (Fig. 6) extend toward one anotherand underlie the bottom of one heddle frame 36. When a cross bar 58 ispulled downwardly, both levers 64 of a pair are swung in oppositedirections and engage and lift the heddle frame 36 above it. When thetreadle 53, that causes such movement is released, the heddle frame 36drops in its slideways in the castle, swinging the levers 64 back intohorizontal positions in which their inner and adjacent ends rest on arubber bumper 67 that rests on a table 68 which is fixed at its ends inthe two lower cross bars 32. Spacing washers 69 are provided on these 4rods 66 to separate the levers 64 and cause them to be positioned inproper underlying relation with the heddle frames 36 which they actuate.The heater arms 39, when in inactive position, engage rubber bumpers 70fixed on the castle.

The loom has been described in its active or working position. It mayeasily be folded into compact form for storing or for carrying. Thisfolding operation causes the castle to be inverted and therefore theheddle frames 36 must be held against falling out of the castle. Forthis purpose two long pins 71 are provided and these are normally storedin inactive positions, one in each of two vertical holes in one of theupper cross bars of the castle, as shown in Fig. 1. These pins may bewithdrawn and each passed through two horizontal holes, one in each ofthe upper cross bars 31 of the castle, to overlie all of the heddleframes, as shown in Fig. 4. During the folding operation, the beaterarms 39 become disengaged from their fulcrums and subsequently inverted.Consequently these arms must also be held in place and this is done bybinding their upper ends to the castle by means of the pins 71 abovedescribed. These pins 71 are made to pegs; through screw eyes 72provided one on each arm To fold the loom, the pins 71 are applied, asjust described, to bind the beater arms 39 to the castle and hold theheddle frames 36 against vertical movement in the castle. The warpthreads 50 are loosened by releasing the holding pawls 29 from theratchet 26 on roll 15. Then, if one stands facing the roll 15, the upperend of a back leg 6 can be pulled forwardly with one hand while theupper part of the castle is pushed rearwardly with the other hand. Theback legs 6 will disengage from the sleeves 10 and moveforwardly towardthe front legs 5. The legs 6 are notched as at 73 (Figs. 1 and 6) toclear the bolts 33 as legs 5 move forwardly. The forward movement of theback legs 6 carries the lower end of the castle forwardly. The castle iscaused to swing clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 and this forces the sidebars 1 to swing clockwise about their pivots 8 on the front legs 5. Asthe castle thus swings, the beater arms 39, which are bound to it, swingtherewith and become disengaged from their fulcrums 40 as will be clearfrom Fig. 2. Continued clockwise movement of the castle causes it to benearly inverted and the front and rear legs 5 and 6 moved as closelytogether as possible, as will be clear from Fig. 3. As the castle swingsas described, it lifts the treadles by means of the ropes 61 as will beclear from Fig. 2 and finally draws them into the positions shown inFig. 3 in which they lie close to legs 6.

To open the loom, the operator places his foot on the cross bar 13 ofthe back legs 6 and lifts on the castle. As the castle turnscounterclockwise, it lifts the side bars 1 and spreads the front andrear legs 5 and 6 apart. On continued counterclockwise movement of thecastle, the lower ends or fingers 43 of the beater side arms 39, engagethe fulcrum sleeves 40 which cause the lower ends of these arms to swingaway from the sides of the castle and the slots 42 to slide over thefulcrum sleeves 40. As the castle finally swings into vertical position,the notches 12 in the back legs 6 engage over the sleeves 10 and lockthe parts in open position shown in Fig. 1.

The invention thus provides an improved loom adapted for hand weavingand characterized in that its parts may be readily folded into compactrelation for convenient transportation and storage.

What is claimed is:

l. In a loom, a frame consisting of two side bars and cross bars rigidlyinterconnecting them near opposite ends thereof, means for supportingsaid frame in substantially horizontal position, said means comprising apair of front legs and a pair of rear legs disposed in X-formation, anda pivot connecting the front and rear legs together where they cross,the front legs being pivoted at their upper ends one to each side barnear the front end of the latter, each side bar having near its rear enda stud fixed thereto and projecting therefrom, each rear leg having aslot extending from its rear edge inwardly and part way through it andreceiving said stud, whereby the rear legs and side bars are connectedfor facile engagement and disengagement, a castle having side memberspivotally connected intermediate their ends one to each side bar, and apivotal connection between each said side member and the adjacent rearleg at a location on the latter above said pivot, said last-namedpivotal connection maintaining the castle in upright position when thesupporting frame is in horiaontal position; the frame, legs and castlebeing foldable 1nto compact relation by pulling forwardly on the upperends of the rear legs and by pushing rearwardly on the upper end of thecastle.

2. The combination, as claimed in claim 1, in which a pair of cross barsrigidly interconnect the upper ends of the side members of the castle, aplurality of heddle frames are mounted for vertical sliding movement inthe side members of the castle; and a member provided for spanning thelast-named cross bars in overlying relation with the heddle frames toretain the latter in the castle when the latter is turned upside downduring the folding of the frame, legs and castle; said last-named memberbeing connected to the last-named cross bars for facile removal andreplacement.

3. The combination, as claimedin claim 1, having a beater consisting ofa cross member located adjacent and confronting the front face of thecastle and two arms fixed near their upper ends to the said crossmember, fulcrum pins fixed one to each front leg at a location near butabove the pivot that connects the front and rear legs, each arm having aslot extending upwardly from its lower end and receiving one of saidfulcrum pins; and means for binding the beater to the castle during thefolding of the frame, legs and castle; whereby, when the castle isturned, the beater arms are turned with it and disengaged from saidfulcrum pins.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3, in which heddle frames areslidably mounted in the castle and the means for binding the beater tothe castle serves to retain the heddle frames in the castle when it isturned upside down during folding of the frame, legs and castle.

5. The combination, as claimed in claim 3, in which each beater arm hasa finger extending from its lower end on its front side for engaging thefulcrum pin and guiding the slot into engagement with it, when theframe, legs and castle are unfolded and moved back into workingposition.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which a cross barinterconnects the front legs near the lower ends, a plurality of foottreadles are each pivoted at one end to the last-named cross bar andextend rearwardly with their lower ends underlying the castle, liftingmeans in the castle for the heddle frames, and flexible connectionsbetween such lifting means and the treadles; whereby when the castle isturned upside down during the folding of the castle, legs and frame, thetreadles will be lifted by said flexible connections into substantiallyparallel relation with the front legs.

7. In a loom, a castle consisting of two laterally-spacedvertically-disposed side members having a plurality of vertical guidesin their confronting faces, an upper pair of cross bars rigidlyinterconnecting said side members near their upper ends and a lower pairof cross bars rigidly interconnecting the side members near their lowerends, a plurality of heddle frames slidably mounted in said guides, apair of pivot rods spanning the lower pair of cross bars and eachsupported at its ends one in each such cross bar, a plurality of liftingarms mounted one on each pivot rod and extending toward each other, across bar underlying each pair of lifting arms, links pivotallyconnecting the outer ends of each pair of lifting arms to the underlyingcross bar, a series of foot treadles pivotally supported near one endand having their other ends underlying all said cross bars, and flexiblemembers connecting various treadles to various cross bars.

8. The combination, as claimed in claim 7, in which each cross bar isprovided with a plurality of means located one above each foot treadleadapted for attachment to one of said flexible members.

9. The combination, as claimed in claim 7, in which each foot treadle isprovided with a plurality of means one below each cross bar adapted forattachment to one of said flexible members.

References Cited in the file of this patdnt UNITED STATES PATENTS Date

